ISLAMABAD - The Treasury as well as Opposition benches in the Upper House of the Parliament on Friday locked horns over the initiation of debate on the alleged massive rigging and misuse of Federal government resources in the recent general elections of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK). However, the House could not start the debate on the issue until it was adjourned sine die due to lack of quorum pointed by Senator Faisal Raza Abidi from Treasury benches after Friday prayers. The current Senate session which was requisitioned by the Opposition on the three major issues, including killings in Karachi, non-implementation of superior judiciary orders by the executive and massive rigging in AJK elections, could only debate the first one and left the other two unattended. Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) also staged a token walk-out from the House as a protest over the killing of three of its workers in the recent incident of violence in the Malir Area of Karachi. The Opposition benches wanted to start the debate through a separate motion on the massive rigging in AJK elections, being part of the agenda items, but Treasury benches thwarted the move saying that the issue could not be discussed in the House. Lawmakers from the Treasury benches were of the view that AJK had its own independent status and any issue related to it could not be discussed in the House as it would tantamount to undermining its sovereignty. They said that political get parties even themselves registered in AJK separately and even it had separate Election Commission and if anybody had reservations on the election process, he should go to the other proper forum like Election Commission or courts. Leader of the House, Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari said that the elections in AJK were held under its own interim Constitution and thus could not be discussed in the House. 'If there are some specific allegations, they (movers) should go to the Election Commission or courts, he added. He also alleged that if Opposition wanted to talk about massive rigging in AJK, then rigging was also done in Punjab during these elections and it should be discussed. Similarly, ANP lawmaker Zahid Khan suggested that AJK would have to be given the status of a province like Gilgit-Baltistan to discuses its election in the House. Senator Kazim Khan of PPP remarked that the issue of Kashmir was sensitive in nature and independent status had been given to it, so they should talk about it carefully. Senior PML-N legislator Raja Zafarul Haq, the mover of the motion opposing the views of the Treasury members said that the issue was linked with the Federal government and ultimately Parliament as the funds of Benazir Income Support Fund and Pakistan Baitul Mal had been misused in these elections by the Centre. Tahir Hussain Mashhadi from MQM said that rigging masters were in action during these elections. Professor Ibrahim Khan of JI termed Kashmir as the jugular vein of Pakistan asserting that its status should be kept independent. He said that the major political parties of Pakistan should not intervene into the affairs of AJK as was clear evident from the fact that any party enjoying power in the Centre always succeeded to form its government there. Abdul Nabi Bangash said that how they could discuss the rigging issue when it was not related with them before the House was adjourned for Friday prayers. The Treasury and Opposition in the Upper House of the Parliament locked horns over the initiation of debate on the alleged massive rigging and misuse of govt resources in the recent general elections.